1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and a tangible computer-readable recording medium, in particular, an information processing apparatus comprising an electronic device connection I/F unit for receiving the connection of an electronic device and a tangible computer-readable recording medium which stores a program therefor.
2. Description of Related Art
In recent years, the functions of the information processing apparatus have been diversified. As one of the functions of the information processing apparatus, when an external recording medium (external memory) is connected to the information processing apparatus, the storage capacity of the external memory can be used as a part of the storage capacity of the information processing apparatus. As a standard of an interface for transferring data between the information processing apparatus and a peripheral equipment, for example, the USB (Universal Serial Bus) interface standard has been known.
A product which is compliant with the USB interface standard can carry out the data communication with the information processing apparatus by connecting the USB connector provided in the product to the information processing apparatus. Therefore, when a user connects a memory (referred to as “USB memory”) which is compliant with the USB interface standard, to the information processing apparatus, the USB memory is mounted on the information processing apparatus and files and data which are stored in the USB memory can be used.
The information processing apparatus which prompts a user to confirm whether to read out files and data stored in the USB memory, on the operation window when the USB memory is connected to the information processing apparatus, is disclosed (See Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2006-107377).
For example, in the image forming apparatus disclosed in the above Japanese Patent Application Publication, when the USB memory is attached to the image forming apparatus, the image forming apparatus displays the message indicating that the user can use the files and the like stored in the USB memory, and the icon indicating that the USB memory is attached to the image forming apparatus. When the user carries out the menu operation, the file list of the flies stored in the USB memory is displayed.
FIG. 18 shows an example of the display window which is displayed when the USB memory is attached to a general image forming apparatus. In the display window 900 shown in FIG. 18, the message “EXTERNAL MEMORY IS CONNECTED. [EXTERNAL MEMORY] CAN BE USED FROM [SYSTEM] OF BOX FUNCTION.” is displayed. Further, in a task bar, the icon 960 indicating that the USB memory can be used is displayed.
FIG. 19 is the display window 910 showing the file list of the files stored in the USB memory which is attached to a general image forming apparatus. In the file list, each file name of the files stored in the USB memory and each updated date thereof are displayed. The user can print out or access to an optional file by selecting the file from the file list. The icon 960 displayed in the task bar indicates that the USB memory is currently connected to the image forming apparatus.
FIGS. 20A, 20B and 20C show the task bar displayed in a general information processing apparatus. In a general information processing apparatus, by displaying the icon, the user is informed that the USB memory is connected. For example, the task bar 920 shown in FIG. 20A shows the situation prior to the connection of the USB memory. In the situation prior to the connection of the USB memory, the icon indicating that the USB memory is connected is not displayed in the task bar 920. The task bar 930 shown in FIG. 20B shows the situation in which the USB memory is connected to the information processing apparatus. In the task bar 930, the icon 940 indicating that the USB memory is connected to the information processing apparatus is displayed.
In this situation, in case that the USB memory is detached from the information processing apparatus, the user moves a pointer to the icon 940 by using a mouse and clicks the icon by using a left button of the mouse. When the icon 940 is clicked, the list of the connected USB memories is displayed. By selecting the USB memory to be detached by the user from the list, it is possible to detach the selected USB memory from the information processing apparatus. The task bar 970 shown in FIG. 20C informs the user that the selected USB memory is detachable from the information processing apparatus. The task bar 970 displays the message indicating that the USB memory can be detached from the information processing apparatus, near the icon 950.
In the information processing apparatus disclosed in above Japanese Patent Application Publication, by displaying the predetermined icon in the task bar, the user is informed that the USB memory is connected. Therefore, when the user connected an external memory to an external memory I/F unit, it was difficult for the user to recognize which external memory I/F unit the external memory was connected to among a plurality of external memory I/F units. When the user detached an external memory from the external memory I/F unit, it was difficult for the user to recognize which external memory I/F unit the external memory was detached from among a plurality of external memory I/F units. Further, although the external memory can be selected by displaying a list of the external memories connected to the external memory I/F units, it was difficult for the user to intuitively recognize which I/F unit of the information processing apparatus the external memory was connected to.